James bowees



- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES BOWERS, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 227,211, dated May 4, 1880.

' Application led February 24, 1880. I

To all whom zt may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES BOWERS, of the city of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented `certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to render a corset more exible, and consequently more convenient to the wearer, to cause the same to be more durable, and to reduce the cost of manufacture. Y

The invention consists in the combination, in the body of acorset, of light steel braces or stays, properly covered and prepared for the purpose, with rattan or other exible wood braces or stays, also prepared for the purpose, said braces being inserted and arranged in the manner hereinafter more denitely set forth and shown.

In the accompanying drawing, which represents one-half of a corset with the textile portions partially broken away in order to properly display the ribs or braces, the letter a, indicates the steel braces, which are covered with cotton fabric or other suitable material in the usual manner, and are made from light spring-steel of good quality, so as to be strong and durable and not liable to break down over the hips or other exposed portions.

The steels are inserted in appropriate parts of the corset, as shown, and upon either or both sides of said steels, in close proximity to them, I insert the rattan braces b, which are softer and more tlexible than the steels, and, being used in combination therewith, will render the corset easy and agreeable to the wearer, and being as long or longer than the steel braces will prevent the latter from irritating the iiesh, and said rattan braces being protected and supported as they are by said steels, the corset will be very durable and at ment of the greatest strength and durability when inserted in about the order shown in the drawing-that is to say, the steel braces a being generally arranged with the rattan braces b inserted on either or both sides thereof, as indicated.

In preparing the rattan or other Iiexible wood braces I have themsplit to a suitable size and then dyed with any xed color by any of the usual processes.

I can valso use the rattan in its natural condition; but it .is apt to discolor the outside covering or fabric of the corset when the latter is in process of being starched ready for the market.

The steels inserted in the front and back edges of the corset are arranged in the usual manner and form no part of the present invention.

I am aware that corset-stays have been made of wood having metallic springs thereon; also, that wood has been substituted for steel, and cane for whalebone; but none of the foregoing are pertinent to my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and wish to have secured by Letters Patent, is-

In a corset, the combination of a series ot' steel and rattan braces alternately arranged with reference to each other, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I cla-im the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of February, 1880.

JAMES BOWERS.

Witnesses:

THos. W. J AcKsoN, JOHN WELDON, Jr. 

